In computer systems, an interrupt is a signal to a processor emitted by a hardware device or software indicating an event that needs immediate attention. An interrupt alerts the processor to a high-priority condition requiring the interruption of the current programming code the processor is executing.
In a multi-processor computer, i.e., a computer that has more than one processor, as the number of processors increases, the number wires distributing interrupts signals increases and the complexity of appropriately distributing interrupts to the processors grows.
Known methods and architectures of distributing interrupts in multi-processor systems present certain limitations, particularly in situations where there is a large number of processors in the system and/or the processors are located on different chips in a system. Thus, there is a need for improved methods and techniques for distributing and handling interrupts in a computer system having multiple processors.